Hackers recently hijacked Microsoft's X account to promote a Clippy crypto scam, but if you want the paperclip mascot back without the meme coin, you can get this Clippy desk accessory on Amazon for $14.50.
Nostalgic office and remote workers, IT teams, and white elephant gift-givers who want a fun, harmless Clippy for their desk thgat won't hijack social media to sell you crypto.
The Aphpaio Clippy Office Assistant Building Blocks desk accessory is $15 at Amazon.
• Why we like it: A 93-piece Clippy desk model with three pairs of eyes you can swap to change his expression, in a colorful gift box.
Why we recommend it
Surely this is the way Clippy was meant to be. A buildable that you can break apart after all his nagging, only to put him back together again when you need more "help". And at least this little guy won't sell you crypto.
For me, it's a harmless way to bring back the mascot everyone loves to roll their eyes at, rather than the version hackers pushed to Microsoft's roughly 13 million X followers as a CLIPPY token, before Microsoft confirmed the unauthorized access.
The story also flagged a "build your own Clippy" software offer as a possible malware lure, whereas this is simply a physical kit of plastic bricks. What's not to love?
Amazon buyers rate it 4.6 out of 5 from 201 ratings, with many praising the easy build and the nostalgia, and one reviewer saying the bricks feel as good as Lego's.
Price Context & Historical Value
At $14.50, this is just $0.79 (5%) off Amazon's $15.29 typical price, so the savings are small. We couldn't find a reliable price history, so we can't say whether it has been cheaper. It is an inexpensive way to put a famous tech mascot on your desk, though.
Should you buy it?
✅ Buy the Clippy Office Assistant desk accessory if... you want a fun, nostalgic desk accessory or an inexpensive gift for an IT or office colleague.
❌ Skip the Clippy Office Assistant desk accessory if... you want an official Microsoft product, since this is an unofficial Clippy kit, or you'd rather not spend an evening assembling 93 small pieces.
Bryan M. Wolfe is a staff writer at TechRadar, iMore, and wherever Future can use him. Though his passion is Apple-based products, he doesn't have a problem using Windows and Android. Bryan's a single father of a 15-year-old daughter and a puppy, Isabelle. Thanks for reading!